Dual loop resilient mat



July 12, 1949.. L LUTEY 2,475,906

DUAL-LOOP RES ILENT MAT Filed April 27, 194e.

INVENToR. /W/liam JL L u i@ ATToR/V Patented July 12, L1949 UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICE i 12 Claims.

This invention relates to resilient mats in general, and particularly to such mats made up of unit sections that may be coupled with other like unit sections to form extended unit sections, suitable links being used t assemble a plurality of said sections and extended sections to cover various sizes and shapes of floor areas.

Each unit section comprises an inner sup-port element, or rail, preferably of metal that is so shaped as to support in a novel manner a plurality of dual loops of resilient material which may be cut from used rubber tire casings, the

arrangement being such that the dual loops are adapted to carry relatively heavy loads on the mat without damaging the inner support element.

An object of the invention is to provide an article of the kind described that combines load carrying ability with effective resiliency and nonslip characteristics.

Another object is to provide a resilient nonslip mat made up of unit sections that may be coupled endwise to secure extended lengths thereof and thereby a wider mat.

A further object is to provide a mat of the kind described that is made up of a plurality of unit sections of either standard or extended lengths connected together preferably by a plurality of metal links, which permit the mat to be rolled up and removed, thereby facilitating the cleaning of both the floor area covered and the mat itself.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detail description of a preferred form of the invention, which consists vof certain parts and combination of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and embraced in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an end View of a loop of resilient strip material with the end portions thereof riveted together. Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing means for joining the ends of two inner support members or rails, a portion of one rail and of one end of the joining means being shown principally as a medial section.

Figure 3 is an end view of a loop, such as is shown in Figure 1, after it has been turned insideout to form what I term a resilient dual loop and then slipped over the end of a unit support element, or rail.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan View somewhat similar to Figure 2, but showing also the perforated end of the left rail and a plurality of resilient dual loops mounted thereon.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of three pairs of coupled rails supporting a plurality of resilient dual loops and joined together with wire links, which function to assemble the rail units, thus forming a mat.

Figure 6 is an end view of the same.

Figure 7 is .a plan view to a reduced scale of a mat made up partly of standard and partly of joined or extended unit sections.

Like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts throughout the drawings, wherein 8a illustrates an elemental loop of resilient strip material whose end portions have been xedly fastened together, preferably by means of a rivet 9, as illustrated in Figure 1. The numeral 8 indicates such a loop after it has been turned inside-out to form what I term a dual loop of resilient material, which then has the form shown best in Figure 3.

Rails I6 may be formed of sheet metal to provide a C-type section as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 6. This provides a space between inturned edges Ille for the riveted ends of a plurality of dual loops which are slipped over the end of the rail one after the other in end-to-end relation to form what I term a unit section I I.

When the mat is to be a single rail length in width, a `plurality of such unit sections may be joined together by means of elliptical shaped wire links I2. Each such link initially has its ends separated sufciently so an end may be passed successively through apertures Ia provided therefor in the sides near the ends of adjacent rails. The ends of the link then may be pressed together and welded as indicated at I2w in Figure 6. The assembly may consist of suicient unit sections thus linked together to make up a mat of the required length.

Where the desired width of the mat is to be two or more unit sections, 1 use a rail coupling inset I3, which also has a C-type section but sulficiently reduced in size to t snugly inside the C-type section rails that are to be coupled.

Referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that oppositely disposed notches ISn are provided near the ends of insert I3, into which inwardly disposed notched fingers Itlf out from the corresponding side walls of the rails may snap when the insert is forced into their ends to the position shown. The inherent resiliency of the lingers and the slight give of the rails and insert make possible this simple assembly procedure.

In case it is desired to disassemble a coupled unit section, ngers Illf thereof may be forced outwardly so they will clear notches i311, using any suitabletool, not shown, that may be inserted into the opposite end of that unit section.

By making the rails in a plurality of lengths and providing fingers IUf near each end as indicated in the drawings, it is obvious that any reasonable number of unit sections may be endto-end coupled by means of rail coupling inserts I3 in the manner described above.

After two or more unit sections have been thus coupled by inserts I3 to form an extended unit section IIe, a plurality of the same may be linked together to provide a mat or mat section of that width and of the desired length by means of elliptical links I2 inserted through apertures Illa and welded, as hereinbefore described, and by means of preferably slightly longer similar links lila, the ends of which first are inserted through apertures 13a in inserts I3 and then welded in like manner to those of links I2. This enables me to produce mats of various widths, or to construct side extensions adapted to fit around columns or off-sets in the walls of a building, as shown in Figure 7.

It will be apparent that links I2 Iand I2a will permit the mat to be rolled up from end to end with the unit sections and extended unit sections disposed lengthwise of the roll. This facilitates their removal for cleaning the floor space underneath and the mat itself.

Because of the resiliency of the material of which dual loops 8 are constructed, they may be compressed endwise suiiciently to provide plenty of room for the placement of links I2 Iand Illa. When the loops are released thereafter they snugly fill the space between the links, thereby imparting lateral stability to the mat as a whole.

Although either side of the mat may be used as the upper or wear side, I prefer to place the open side of the rails down, `as illustrated in the drawings. When used in this position, it will be seen by referring to Figure 6 that Ithe riveted ends of each dual loop 8 then are disposed in an upwardly direction with their ends bearing against the inner surface of rails I Il.

This is an important feature of the invention that adds greatly to the yability of the mat to carry heavy loads without damage to the metal rails, and yet to maintain an optimum of resiliency due to the flexibility `of the plurality of ndivdual dual loops.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that Ias a load is applied to the upper surface of dual loop, each small underneath loop portion thereof is nat-tened more or less, depending upon the weight applied to said upper surface. If the Weight is sudicient, the upper portion of the dual loop Iwill be depressed until it contacts the -top side of the rail. However, the upwardly disposed ends of said loop support the rail effectively `and tend'to prevent its being `crushed by the weight.

xperience has proven that mats constructed as hereinbefore described have superior non-slip properties. This is due in part to the inherent non-slip properties of the resilient material of the dual loops, but primarily to the depression of those dual loops of the mat that carry the load in relation to the Iadjoining unloaded or difterently loaded dual loops.

In order to give the mat a finished appearance, the protruding ends of the rails and links may be colored to harmonize with the walls or floor, preferably by plating or painting the metal parts. This border eiect obviously may be completed by omitting the resilient dual loops from the irst 'and last rails of the mat and likewise either plating or painting them.

Although I have limited the drawings and description of my invention to a mat, it will be understood that by changing the proportions a step tread may be made that has all the desirable :characteristics of the mat.

It also will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the essential coacting elements comprising the invention may be constructed in various other equivalent forms and from other materials without departing from the purpose and intent of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a resilient mat, a dual loop of resilient material comprising an outer portion, and an inwardly positioned projection that forms said outer portion into two oppositely disposed looped portions.

2. In a resilient mat, a dual loop of resilient material comprising a strip of resilient material so shaped as to provide inwardly projecting end portions, and means for xedly securing said end portions together to form said strip into two oppositely disposed looped portions.

3. In a resilient mat, a dual loop comprising a strip of resilient material formed into a loop having outwardly disposed adjacent end portions, and means for lxedly securing said end portions together, whereby oppositely disposed looped portions are formed when said loop is turned insideout.

4. In a resilient mat, the combination of an inner support element having a C-type section with inturned edges, and a dual loop comprising an inwardly positioned projection, said dual loop being so assembled upon said support element that the inwardly projecting portion of said dual loop is disposed between the inturned edges of said support element.

5. In a resilient mat, a unit section comprising an inner support element, and a plurality of individual dual loops of resilient material assemlbled thereon in end-to-end relation.

6. In a resilient mat, a unit section comprising an inner support element having a C-type section, `and la plurality of individual loops of resilient material assembled thereon in end-to-end relation.

7. In a resilient mat, the combination of a unit section comprising an inner support element having a `C-type section with inturned edges, and a plurality of dual loops of resilient material each having an inwardly positioned projection, said loops being assembled upon said support element in end-to-end relation with the projections of said loops disposed between the inturned edges of said support element.

8. .In a resilient mat, a plurality of unit sections, each comprising an inner support element upon which a plurality of individual loops of resilient material are assembled, and means for removably coupling said unit sections together in end-to-end relation to form an extended unit section.

9. In a resilient mat, a plurality of inner support elements, and link means for flexibly joining said support elements in substantially parallel relation.

10. In a resilient mat, a plurality of unit sections each comprising an inner support element upon which are assembled a plurality of individual dual loops of resilient material, and means for flexibly joining said unit sections in substantially parallel relation.

11. In a resilient mat, a plurality of extended REFERENCES CITED The following referefnlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 284,567 Martinez Sept. 4, 1883 2,139,025 Lutey Dee. 6, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 393,851 France 1908 

